Clutch for motor-cycles.



C. 1. GUSTAFSUN.

CLUTCH FOB MOTOR CYCLES. APPLICATION 1:11130 A1 11.4, 1912` 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WTNESSES C. 1. @UST/sow4 CLUTCH FOR MOTOR CYCLES. APPLICATION FILED APR.4. 1912.

Patented Dec. 5, T916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WTNESSES (3.1. GUSTAFSON.

CLUTCH FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATloN FILED APR. 4. 1912.

APatented Dec.- 5, 1916.

CL J. GUSTAFSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, T HENDEE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.. 5,1918.

' Application led April 4, 1912. Serial No. 688,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that lf, CARL J. GUsTAFsoN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden,

E State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches for Motor-Cycles, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to lo the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in clutches, and more espe cially to clutches for' transmitting power from the engine to the driven wheel of a l motorcycle.

An object of the invention is to provide a clutch wherein the engine may run free, or wherein an infinite range of speeds may be attained, from the highest to the lowest t@ balancing speed, through the slipping of the clutch parts one upon another.

A further object of the invention is'to provide a device of the above character with speed-changing gears, whereby when the m parts are clutchedtogether so as to turn as one, two independent speeds may be secured.

These and other objects will in part be y obvious, Iand will in part be hereinafter more m fully described.

ln the drawings, which show by way of illustration, one embodiment of the inven-` tion, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the driving and driven members of w the clutch and operating parts therefor; Fig. 2 is a face view of the driving sprocket; with parts broken away to show the inner clutching members; Fig. 3 is a view showing a modified form of the invention, in thatthe two-speed mechanism is omitted.

The present invention is shown as applied to the frame of a motorcycle, as the clutch is especially adapted for connecting engines with the driven part of a motorcycle. Said M clutch consists of a driving member or rotating wheel l, which, as herein shown, is in the form of a sprocket wheel, and is adapted to be connected by a sprocket chain with a suitable sprocket wheel on the engine m shaft. rFhe clutch includes also a driven member 2, which is in the form of a sprocket wheel, and this driven member is adapted to be connected by a suitable chain with the sprocket wheel on the driving wheel of the motorcycle. It is obvious, however, that these sprocket wheels may be of any other suitable form, the essential feature being that one of these members is a rotating driving member and the other a rotated driven member. rlhese sprocket wheels are mounted on the frame 3 of the motorcycle. Passing centrally through the frame is a shaft 4, on which is loosely mounted a sleeve 5. rlhe driven sprocket wheel 2 is locked to the sleeve 5 in any suitable way. rllhe sleeve 5 is mounted to turn freely in ball bearings 6, which are carried by the frame 3 of the motorcycle. The other end of the shaft 4 turns freely in ball bearings 7 carried by the frame of the motorcycle. Said sleeve may be locked to the shaft 4,-so as to turn with the shaft by a clutch sleeve 8, which is splined to the shaft 4 so as to turn therewith, but which may be moved endwise on the shaft, so as to engage the sleeve, or so as to be disengaged from the sleeve, so that the sleeve may run free on the shaft. Said shaft 5 'carries a gear wheel 8, which meshes with a gear wheel 9 on a countershaft 10.. rThe gear wheel 9 is formed integral or secured to a second -gear wheel 11, which meshes with a gear wheel 12, which also runs free on the shaft 4. rThe clutch sleeve 8 may be shifted so as to engage theV gear wheel 12, and thus lock said gear wheel so that it will turn with the shaft 4. This clutch sleeve 8 may be shifted axially on the shaft 4 by any ysuitable shifting mechanism.

From the above construction, it will be apparent that the driven sprocket wheel 2 may e connected so as to turn with the shaft 4, or may be connected through the sprocket wheels 8,9, 11 and 12, so as to move at a different speed 'from that of the shaft 4. ln the other end of the shaft 4 is a hub 13. This hub is rigidly secured to the end of the shaft, so as to turn with the same. Rigidl secured to the hub is a disk 14. Said dis 14 carries a plurality of studs 15, which project laterally therefrom. A second disk 16 1s mounted so as to move axially relative to the shaft 4, and the disk 14, which is rigid with the hub on the shaft 4. This disk 16 is provided with openings 17, through which the studs project, so that the disk 16 will rotate with the disk 14. Mounted on the studs 15 are roller bearings 18.

The sprocket wheel 1 is formed with an inwardly projecting web 19, which hasl a central opening concentric with the axis of the disk 14, for v friction disks by means of springs `25. As

' disks 22 and 23.

the shaft 4. The inner edge of this web is grooved to receive a hardened steel wire 20. The roller bearings 18 are also grooved so as to engage the steel wire 20 carried by the inner edge of the web of the sprocket wheel.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided a clutch including a rotary member. This rotary meinber is formed by the hub on the shaft 4, the disk 14 carried thereby, and the disk 16, which rotates with the disk 14. The wheel 1 is mounted to rotate freely on this rotary member as the web of the wheel engages the roller bearings carried by the rotary member.

The sprocket wheel 1 is also provided with an axially extending concentric ange 21, Awhich forms achamber within the sprocket wheel. Located in said chamber and between the disks 14 and 16, are friction The friction disk 22 is connected so as to rotate with the sprocket Wheel 1, while the friction disk 23 is connected to the projecting studs 15 carried by the disk 14. Friction pads 24 may be inserted between. the inner and outer disks 14 and 16, and the friction disks 22'and 23, and also the web 19 of the sprocket wheel 1. The outer disk 16 the purpose of gripping the herein shown, the inner disk 14 is provided with a plurality of bolts 26. The outer disk 16 carries sleeves 27, which are closed at their inner ends and formed with an opening to receive the bolts 26.

The springs 25 rest at one end on the closed end of the sleeve 27, and at their `other end against nuts carried by the bolts 26. These springs normally force the outer disk 16 toward the inner disk 14, and cause the friction disks to clamp eachother and the inwardly projecting web of the sprocket wheel to be clamped between the side plates or disks of the rotatable driven meinber.

In order to separate the disks 14 and 16, so as to release the friction disks and allow the wheel 1 to run free, I have provided an axially arranged rod 28. The shaft 4 has an opening centrally therethrough,l and the rod 28 extends through' the shaft. The outer disk 16 carries an adjusting screw 29, which bears against the end of the rod 28.

Mounted in the frame of the motorcycle is a lixed threaded sleeve or ring 30. Cooperating with this fixed rin or sleeve is a second threaded sleeve 3l. lgiocated within the sleeve 31 is a ball 32,-which rests against a. hardened bearing 33, and said ball is adapted to engage the inner end of the thrust rod 28. The inner sleeve` 31 is turned in the stationary sleeve by an arm 34, which may bemanipulated in any desired way by is moved axially toward the rider. When the sleeve 31 is turned in the fixed sleeve 30 in tlie proper direction, the ball 32 will be pressed against the inner end of the rod 28, which will force the disk 16 axially outward, away from the disk 14, and thus release the friction disks. The pitch of the thread between the sleeves 30 and 31 is preferably such that said movable sleeve will remain in any adjusted position.

From the above, it will be apparent that I have provided a clutch which includes springs for normally holding the friction disks in engagement, so as-to cause the driving member to impart movement to the driven member, and that I have also provided cam means which consist of the cooperating threaded sleeves, for moving an axially arranged rod or member endwise, so as to compress the springs and release the clutch members. This centrally arranged thrust rod bears directly against the outer disk, and is, therefore, rigidly connected therewith, so that any movement of one sleeve relative to the other will cause a posi- `tive separation of the clutch disks.. By ad- Justing the sc rew 29, the amount of separation of the disks for any given position of theutwo sleeves relative to each other, may be varied.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the parts are precisely the same as shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that the driven sprocket wheel 2 is mounted directly on the hub 13, and is movable therewith, while in Fig. l said driven sprocket is connected through the speed-changing mechanism above described.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

aving thus described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a driving memb er and a driven member, of means for frictionallyconnecting said members including clamping plates on one of said members, the other member having a part extending between the clamping plates, anti-friction bearings for supporting the part extending between the clamping plates, springs for neonata ai the clamping plates, springs tor forcing one ing one of said clamping plates toward the of said clampin plates toward the other or other for causing the plates to grip the causing the p ates to grip the driving driving sprocket, an axially arranged thrust sprocket, an axially arranged thrust rod for rod for engaging the movable clamping 5 engaging the movable clamping plate for plate for compressing the springs to release 25 compressing the springs to release the drivthe driving sprocket, a revoluble threaded ing sprocket, a revoluble threaded sleeve sleeve having a recess formed therein, a ball having a recess o'rmed therein, a ballin said in said recess engaging the end of the thrust recess engaging the end of the thrust rod, rod, a fixed threaded sleeve coperating i0 and a fixed threaded sleeve cooperating with with said revoluble threaded sleeve for forc- 30 said revoluble threaded sleeve tor forcing ing said rod endwise, and an adjustable said rod endwise. screw carried by the clamping plate against 3. rllhe combination ci a rotatable mem- Which the thrust IOd bearsber, a driven sprocket adapted to be @0nln testimony whereof, I aHiX my signa- 15 nected to said rotatable member, a driving lLure, in the presenceof two Wltnesses.

sprocket mounted on said rotatable mem- CARL Je. GUSTAFSON' ber, clamping plates supported by said rotatable member, said driving sprocket having Witnesses:

an inwardly projecting part extending be- C. U. HEDs'rRoM, 20 tween the clamping plates, springs for forc- FRANK d. URSEALY. 

